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Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

The Leader and the Ladder

Posted in Leadership on August 2, 2011| 1 Comment »

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit through a leadership training event.  The day was well spent.  None of the things I heard were new to me but it is always good to hear them again and maybe with a new twist.  One of the things that stuck in my mind from yesterday was the difference between a manager and a leader.  Their definition was “a manager does things right, a leader does the right things.”  In other words, leaders must be able to allocate some time to seeing the bigger picture – to thinking about the future and seeing how things could and should be.  If we allow ourselves to be constantly pulled into the needs of the day, it becomes difficult to maintain our focus on the vision.

I have heard this leader vs. manager description illustrated this way as well.  We can devote our energy to climbing the ladder well.  We can study how to climb more efficiently.  We might even find it beneficial to study the ladder and develop a strategy on how best to climb.  We can train and organize our resources to climb the ladder well.  We can do all these things, but, if that ladder is leaning against the wrong building, when we reach the top, what have really accomplished?  A manager works at climbing well.  The leader takes the time to step back and make sure the ladder is leaning against the right goal.

How are you investing your time today?  If you are like me, a great deal of my day is spent managing.  But, I encourage you today to stop long enough to make sure your ladder is leaning against the right building.

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Drastic Change in Environment

Posted in Church, Leadership on July 1, 2011| Leave a Comment »

After a hot night at camp, I was looking forward to a change of climate.  I am now in Washington, DC, at the National Association of Church Business Administration national conference being held at the Gaylord National Hotel and Conference Center.  I had to arrive on Wednesday as part of my responsibility serving on the Board for the organization.  We had a wonderful dinner together with the staff and then it was off to bed for me.  Unfortunately, about mid-night, my stomach had other plans.  The next several hours are a blur but I can tell you it involved kneeling at a toilet followed by the use of mouthwash.  Now here it is Friday and I am beginning to feel better and am looking forward to conference

This conference is always a wonderful experience.  There are over 80 workshops from which to choose to attend dealing with all things pertinent to work and life in the church.  We will also have great keynote speakers who always inspire, challenge and motivate us.  I am excited to see what God will do over the next few days.

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Retirement? I Don’t Think So!

Posted in Church, Community, Leadership on May 9, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Last night I watched one of the most inspiring news segments that I have seen in a long time.  I am not sure where the story took place, but the coverage was about two softball teams.  Now you may be thinking, “What is so special about softball teams?”

Well, let me tell you.  These teams are made up of retirees.  The coolest interview was with a 93 year old man who still plays.  It showed him batting and running bases.  And there were shots of him fielding balls and throwing the ball into the infield.  When questioned about why he still plays, he said, “If you feel like playing, why would you just sit in a rocking chair?”

Way to go!  I hope I am still active at his age.  I doubt that I will be playing softball at 93 – I don’t really play now so I am not sure I will start.  But I can see maybe a friendly pick-up game on a basketball court (although, the wife has restricted my b-ball since that second knee surgery).

As I watched this inspiring man playing softball, I thought about all the retirees in the church.  You know who I am talking about – maybe you are one.  I am not talking about the folks of retirement age necessarily.  I am talking about those with a retirement attitude.  People who may have made statements like:  “I have done that for years, it’s time for someone else to step up and pull their weight around here.”  There is a lot of truth to that statement, for the church to function as God intended, it takes everyone doing their part.  But no where in scripture do I find the God-sanctioned retirement threshold.

So regardless of your age or years of service remember that God has a plan for you and that plan does not involve sitting and observing.  For God’s community to thrive, everyone has to use their God-given talents to further the Kingdom.

What will you do today to get up out of the rocking chair and get into the game?

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Why Are You Here?

Posted in Formation, Hope, Leadership on April 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Have you ever wondered why you were born where and when it happened?  I mean, why was I born in Texas in the mid-60’s?  Why not in Europe in the 1800’s or Israel in 12 AD?

I read this earlier this morning and it reminded me that God has a plan for each of us.

You were created for a time such as this.  God has gifted you, equipped you and called you to make a difference in your world that no one else on the planet can make today!  Just you – only you!

Go make your mark!

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More Thoughts on Today We Are Rich

Posted in Community, Leadership on March 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 

Today is the day!  Today We Are Rich is available for purchase.  As I said yesterday, this is a book you need to read.

I began discussing the book yesterday – you can read that post here.  Today, I want to give you just a couple of more thoughts on the book.

Tim credits his grandmother with a list of 7 principles that, if made a part of our daily lives, will lead to more confidence and a better life.  Those principles are:

  1. Feed your mind good stuff
  2. Move the conversation forward
  3. Exercise your gratitude muscle
  4. Give to be rich
  5. Prepare yourself
  6. Balance your confidence
  7. Promise made, promise kept

Much of what these principles do is point us outside ourselves.  The title of the book itself comes from a story in the book in which Tim’s grandmother gave more than she could afford to help someone else and yet, was left with a feeling of wealth that money can’t buy.  Our culture teaches us that the world should revolve around us.  These principles remind us that we are all in this together and true joy and happiness comes when we live in community – when we help others.

These principles are really taken right out of the Bible.  As I said yesterday, one of the most meaningful aspects of this book is that Tim, being internationally recognized as a consultant and speaker in the business world, never once makes an apology for the influence of his faith on his life.  I find that very refreshing.  In fact, I find that to be in line with exactly what God has called each of us to do and be on a daily basis.  We are all to be ministers in our lives regardless of our professional occupation.

Thanks Tim for your book, Today We Are Rich.  Thanks also for your example of how we can be successful in any area of society without neglecting or hiding our faith!

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Thoughts On Tim Sanders’ Book – Today We Are Rich

Posted in Leadership, Motivational on March 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to hear Tim Sanders speak.  He grew up in Clovis, New Mexico, but he made a name for himself in the midst of the dot.com era working for a time as an executive with Yahoo!  I was pulled in by his charisma and passion for communication and then I was moved by what he said.  Shortly afterward, I began reading his blog and following him on Twitter (@sanderssays).  Over the last couple of years I have had to restrict the number tweets I actually get to my phone.  But Tim’s tweets still come directly to me – why?  Because what he says is always uplifting and beneficial.

That is why, when he sent out a request for folks to preview his upcoming book, Today We Are Rich, I jumped at the chance.  I received the book in the mail last week and dug right in.  Now I must confess, I am not a big believer in the power of positive thinking.  Don’t get me wrong, I know that there is significant power in positive thinking.  But I don’t prescribe to a pie in the sky idea that we can change our world by simply looking at things with a positive attitude.

I love how Tim approaches the subject.  His thesis is this, “Positive thinking is an outcome, not a prescribed behavior.  It requires much effort and discipline.  It’s a lifestyle decision.”  In the book, Tim gives 7 principles to follow in building a lifestyle that will promote positive thinking and thus, result in more confidence to live as God intended.

One of the most meaningful aspects of the book for me is this:  Tim is internationally recognized as a Fortune 1000 consultant and speaker.  He has already written a New York Times Best Seller in Love Is The Killer App.  He is sought after to speak all over the world in the area of leadership and business.  But at no point in his book did he shrink from letting his faith influence his words.  He boldly speaks of his discipline of reading the Bible every day as a means of staying grounded and “putting good stuff” into his mind.  How many business and leadership books have your read in which the author’s faith was discussed openly?

Tomorrow I will give you a few more of my thoughts on the importance of Tim’s book, Today We Are Rich.  But for today, I have two challenges for you:  1)  Find someway to contribute to someone else’s success today – even if you will gain nothing.  And 2)  Make plans to buy this book on Tuesday when it is released (You can take a sneak peak here).  I can promise you, it will be worth every penny and even more worth your time!

Be a blessing today!

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A Simple Thanks

Posted in Community, Leadership on March 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes the simple things are the most powerful.  Take for instance the single word Thanks.  Have you stopped to think about how powerful that little 6 letter word can be when used with meaning?

I am reading a new book by Tim Sanders entitled, Today We Are Rich, and in the book there is an entire chapter dedicated to gratefulness.  It is a great book that will be released this next Wednesday, so Monday  I will be reviewing it here.  Stop back by next week to get my thoughts on it.

In the chapter on gratitude, Tim says this, “When you begin to exercise gratefulness toward a ‘who’ and not just appreciation for the ‘what,’ you are extending gratitude fully.”

You can change a person’s day with a heartfelt thanks.  When we stop and think about it, we can always think of things for which we are grateful.  But do we dig deeper to think of the folks we appreciate?  Take some time right now to think of two people you appreciate.  Stop and thank God for them this morning.  Then find some way to let them know how you feel.

Who do you need to say “thanks” to today?

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Visionary Leader or ADHD Idea Generator?

Posted in Leadership on March 8, 2011| 2 Comments »

The other day, a friend of mine described a few leaders she has known as ADHD Idea Generators.  You may know the type.  They have a new idea for every staff meeting.  The staff leaves each meeting not knowing if they should complete the steps to carry out the vision of three weeks ago, or move to tackling last weeks big idea – or simply can it all and start on this week’s brain child.  The problem is that many leaders with this approach see themselves as visionary.  But in reality, they are, as my friend described – ADHD Idea Generators.

The difference between an idea generator and a visionary leader is that a visionary leader not only has vision, but also the strategy to see that vision come about.  The visionary leader also must possess the patience to stick with it to see it through.  So a visionary leader is more than an idea person.  A visionary leader sees where the organization needs to be and then puts together a plan to get it there.

Which describes you?  A visionary leader or an ADHD idea generator?

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The Power of Multiplication

Posted in Church, Community, Leadership on March 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday’s post began the conversation about the importance of relationships in leaving a legacy.  Today, I want to expand on that idea.  If we truly believe that relationships are the best way to impact the world, then how do we make the most of our efforts?  I want to make a suggestion that on the surface does not sound logical, but the numbers don’t lie.

Wednesday, on the plane, I had time to finish a book I have been working through by Dwight Robertson entitled, You Are God’s Plan A (and there is no plan b).  It is a challenging but extremely practical offering that causes us to think about many of the same things Lucado pushes in his book.  Robertson talks about this idea of legacy in terms of investing in or pouring ourselves into others.

He makes a case for the idea of multiplication.  It is counter-cultural to think of a legacy in this way.  We tend to think of great leaders or speakers who have left a legacy.  We think about people like Billy Graham or Rick Warren or Bill Hybels when we think about those who have impacted lives – and it is true.  But if we look at Jesus’ life, we see that he poured himself into a few, who then did the same.

I have heard this before but I don’t know that I have every seen it in the form of a chart.  Here is the scenario.  If you were to have the opportunity to speak to 100,000 people per year; over twenty years you would have potentially impacted 2 million people.  That is nothing to sneeze at but what if you were to invest yourself for a year into just two people and then instill in them the desire to do the same?  So the first year you would impact 2 people.  Year two you would impact two new people, but the people you impacted in year one are now impacting the lives of two other people each.  Suppose this were the pattern for twenty years.  The chart shows you the results.

I am no mathematician, but even I can see that almost 3.5 billion people is more than 2 million.  Isn’t that amazing?  And all from a simple effort of impacting two lives at a time.

That is plausible.  I can do that!  You can do that!  I realize that there will be attrition and those who do not carry out their commitments, but just think about the possibilities!

Don’t let Satan lull you into doing nothing with a sense of being overwhelmed.  Just start with two.

Who will you invest in this year?

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The Legacy of Relationships

Posted in Community, Leadership, Motivational on March 3, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Last week we finished our class on Wednesday nights over the book and study series by Max Lucado entitled, Out Live Your Life.  Over the past 6 weeks, I have done a lot of pondering about what I am leaving behind.  When I am gone, will people say, “I am glad he was here.”?   Or will anyone even notice I am no longer around?

It is an intimidating question!  But it causes me to think about what I am doing (or not doing) today in order to insure that my life is going to count for something.

As a minister, I have been to the threshold of death with many, many people and watched them step through that doorway.  As I sit and listen to people in their final days, or with the family members who are left to carry on after a person dies, there are always a number of topics of conversation.  We talk about their life-long career, their family or maybe their church and community activity.  But without fail, the most meaningful memories are the personal stories – the memories of how the person impacted a life.

At the end of this existence, what matters most is relationships.  The most important relationship of course is the one a person has with Jesus.  That makes all the difference.  But as we remember a life, the accomplishments of that person fade in comparison to the relationships he or she built while here.

So I am back to my question – what kind of legacy will I leave behind?

How about you?  Are you building a legacy?

More on this subject tomorrow – be sure and stop back by!

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